An LSU gymnast making $2 million a year from endorsement deals and racy photos posted to social media was blasted by top women’s college coach Tara VanDerveer as a “step backward” in women’s sports.
In the wake of last year’s rules changes allowing college athletes to cash in on their names and images, Louisiana gymnast Olivia Dunne went all-in and has now become the top moneymaker with a $2 million payday thanks to her racy photos and endorsement deals.
But top women’s coach Tara VanDerveer is disgusted by the whole thing.
Stanford University’s VanDerveer, one of college’s most successful women’s basketball coaches, feels that today’s climate has become detrimental to women’s sports.
“I guess sometimes we have this swinging pendulum, where we maybe take two steps forward, and then we take a step back,” VanDerveer said, according to the Daily Mail. “We’re fighting for all the opportunities to compete, to play, to have resources, to have facilities, to have coaches, and all the things that go with Olympic-caliber athletics. This is a step back.”
Dunne, though, is undaunted in the face of the criticism.
“Seven figures. That is something I’m proud of. Especially since I’m a woman in college sports,” she told the Mail, adding, “There are no professional leagues for most women’s sports after college.”
And she is really raking it in.
“Dunne is valued at $2.3 million, according to On3 Sports. Auburn gymnast Suni Lee was ranked No. 2 with $1.5 million, followed by UConn guard Paige Bueckers at $816,000,” the New York Post reported.
The 20-year-old athlete boasts 2.2 million followers on Instagram, six million on TikTok, and another 30,000 on Twitter, and is now the most-followed NCAA athlete on social media.
She has endorsement deals with such companies as supplement co. PlantFuela, Bartleby education tools, TooFaced cosmetics, GrubHub, American Eagle, and Madden/EA Games.
“The NIL rule change has always been a dream of mine, and I didn’t know if it was actually ever going to happen,” Dunne told the Post. “I think it’s great for female student-athletes in gymnastics like myself because there is really no professional league after college, so we can capitalize on our opportunities right now. It’s such a special thing. It’s like I’m part of history, all of us student-athletes are.”
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